This invention relates in general to the construction of storage containers and in particular to a new and useful hydride storage for hydrogen.
Depending on the required storage volume, even a plurality of such storages may be combined to a larger unit. Hydrogen as an energy carrier can be stored and shipped either in gaseous or liquid state, or also in the form of a metal hydride. Under normal ambience conditions, hydrogen can be stored in the metal hydride form without problems, safely, and in a small space. In general, the storage material, such as a metal alloy containing titanium, zirconium, chromium, and manganese, in the form of a powder, or of pellets (tablets), is received in elongated tubular casings having frontal and external connections. Most metals combine with hydrogen to metal hydrides, with, as a rule, heat being released if hydrogen is introduced to the metal, and heat being wanted to remove the hydrogen. The released or added heat of reaction must be dissipated from, or introduced into the storage material, depending on the direction of the reaction, as quickly as possible. Moreover, it must be taken into account that during charging of the storage, i.e. adsorption of hydrogen, the storage material expands. To minimize the pressure and/or temperature gradients within the storage material, it is sought to make all portions (partially volumes) of the storage material participate substantially uniformly in the respective reaction during the charging or discharging of the storage.
Up to the present time, this has been achieved only to an unsatisfactory extent with designs where the hydrogen is introduced or removed at one side, particularly at the front end, of an elongated tubular casing (German OS No. 30 22 859).